FAMILY FELIDiE. 4^ 



GENUS FELIS. Linneus. 



Ears short and dista7it, not tufted. No ?nane. Tail long, varying occasionally in the same 

 species. Tongue roughened with prickles. Claws curved and acute. Cheek teeth eight 

 above, and six below. 



Obs. The common imported Domestic Cat belongs to this genus. It is now generally 

 believed to have been derived from the F. mariiculata, Ruppel, which still exists in a wild state 

 in the northern parts of Africa. Ruppel supposes it to have been first reclaimed by the 

 Egyptians. It is a common opinion that we have, in this country, wild cats, which have been 

 derived either from the domestic cat resuming its primitive wildness, or by alliance with those 

 already in a wild state. This is a great error. We have no small .species, characterized by 

 a long tail, in the countrj'. 



THE NORTHERN PANTHER. 



Felis concolor. 



PLATE IX. FIG. 2. .A,DBLT. — PLATE IX. FIG. I. YousQ. 



Felis concolor. Li.v., Gmel. Vol. 1, p. 79. 



Cuguar. LOSKIEL, p. 82. 



.F. cougar. Temminck, Monog. de Manun. p. 134. 



F. concolor. HARL.4N, Fauna Am. p. 94. 



The Cougar. Godman, Am. Nat. Hist. Vol. 1, p. 2Q1, figure. 



F. concolor, Desm. Mammalogie, p. 218. 



The Puma, or American Lion. Emmons, Mass. Report, 1840, p. 35. 



Characteristics. Very large. Uniform tawny, paler beneath. Length 7 -10 feet. Young, 

 spotted with brown. 



Description. Body long, cylindrical, and rather slender. Legs robust, and comparatively 

 short. Ears somewhat rounded. Tail long, slender, cylindrical. Fur soft and short. 



Color. Body and legs of a uniform fulvous or tawny hue. I have never obsen'ed the spots 

 of a deeper hue, seen only in certain lights, which Temminck ascribes to this species. Ears 

 light-colored within, blackish behind. Belly pale reddi.sh or reddish wliite. Face sometimes 

 witli a uniform lighter tint than the general hue of the body ; oftener witii the mouth, chin, 

 and internal angle of the eyes white. " Tail of the male longer than the female, dark brown 

 " at the extremity." {Emmons.) 



Head and body, 53 • - 84 • 0. 



Tail, 20-0- 27-0. 



Description of a young Panther, not more than a week old, from the Collection of Prof. 

 Emmons. Ears pendulous, furnished with hair within and without, projecting beyond the 

 margins. The whole body covered with a soft dense fur, forming on the sides of the neck 

 an indistinct collar. Claws sharp, curved, not channelled. 



